Trust Within Itself
by MeltingMetal315
Summary: -AU, violence, language- The Elrics are infamous vagabonds with a terrible past. What happens when the younger is kidnapped and the elder looses it? How about when he's rescued by his savior, the Colonel? Can Ed and his new-found love rescue his brother?
1. Prologue

**Trust Within Itself: Prologue**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don't ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!

**This is one of the fanfics available on Deviant Art. Therefore, it will never go above PG-13 and Roy and Ed's relationship will never go very far. However, I may create a sequel or branch story to this fic so that I can write some juicy lemons for their relationship in this story. Also, since this was originally on DA, some of the chapters may have some thing like "read the comments" or "read from the beginning" or something like that. Just ignore it. I'll try to get that all fixed sooner or later. Thanks! Enjoy the fic!**

-October 1, 1899-

"EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! VAN HOENHEIM ACHIEVES GREAT ALCHEMICAL FEATS!"

Trisha Elric peered out the front window of her home. The newsboys were shouting the headline of the Risembool Journal continuously. Unfortunately, that meant more publicity for herself, her husband, and their eight-month-old son and soon-to-be born son. She rubbed her swelling stomach tenderly. She and her husband had decided on naming this one Alphonse. Baby Edward giggled and looked up at his mother from his sitting position on the front window sill. She sighed. Hoenheim was back researching in Central again. She missed him. If only he would settle down and stay home...

-February 3, 1900-

"EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! VAN HOENHEIM RETIRES!"

Edward giggled as he threw the small cushy dodgeball towards his mother, who smiled weakly and rolled it back to him gently. As of today, he was one year old. She couldn't focus on her beautiful son today. She was boiling over with anticipation, anxious to see her beloved today. Hoenheim had called in earlier today, briefly saying a happy birthday to his son before telling Trisha that he'd be arriving home today. With the discovery, he didn't need to stick around anymore. And he had collected enough money from his alchemical research to fund his family beyond the ends of their lives.

Trisha smiled at Edward, rubbed her swelling stomach, feeling for Alphonse's kick, and sighed. He was coming home today.

-June 13, 1902-

Hoenheim sighed. He couldn't keep living a lie. He had to leave. Now. Before any harm came to his wonderful family. His precious wife and his darling children would be better off without him around. He had made arrangements to move all the money he had into Trisha's account. As he quietly creaked open the door, he heard soft footsteps behind him. He turned around and his eyes met with his son's.

"Daddy? Where are you going? It's not morning yet."

"Edward, Daddy has to go. But you always have to remember that I love you. I love you and your mother and Alphonse very, very, very much. You three are my life. Now remember, be good to your brother. Take care of him and shield him with your own life. And please make sure your mother is well. Protect her. And never forget that I love you. Goodbye, Edward."

Edward stared up at the man for a moment and then nodded, gripping the side of the door to close it.

"Goodbye, Daddy," Edward knew, deep down inside his three-year-old heart that his father wouldn't be coming back. He may have been abnormally small for his age, but he was abnormally intelligent. He could already read and write at third grade level. He wasn't stupid. The boy ran to sit up on the front window sill and looked on down the path where he saw a human-shaped figure walking slowly away. A tear ran down his face.

"Goodbye, Father. Until we meet again."

-October 3, 1910-

There was a loud crash and a scream. Trisha sprinted to her boys' room. This was not happening! Not again! Why couldn't people leave them alone? They didn't even have much money left anyway! Hoenheim's Fortune was merely a myth at his point. And her sons were prodigies, but they were still below state alchemist level. Why?

"MOM! AL!" Eleven-year-old Edward, dressed in a tee shirt and his boxers, was dragging a half-asleep, ten-year-old Alphonse, in a footsie pajama, down the hall.

"MOM! COME ON!"

"Edward! Hurry! Take Alphonse and run to the Rockbells' house! GO!"

"Mom, you have to come with us! COME ON!"

"Edward, I am your mother, and I'm telling you to go! Do you WANT to die?"

"Mom..." Ed's eyes began to moisten and a lone tear escaped down his cheek. "Please..."

"Go, Edward. I won't ask you again." Trisha glared at her son right in the eye. Edward gulped and nodded. He began to run again, Alphonse in tow. The two had made it halfway down the block when they heard it.

It shattered their ear drums and curdled their blood. They flinched and whipped around to look at their home. The shriek was long gone, but it rang in their ears. Edward stood dumbfounded for a moment and then it hit him. He doubled over and fell to his knees. Rain began to pour down, matting his hair to his face. He snapped his head up and screamed.

"MMOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!"

"Brother! They're coming!" Alphonse, now fully awake, pointed towards their home.

"Shit. Al, go to the Rockbell's. I'll be a minute or two. I'm going to try out that alchemy stuff we've been reading about in dad's office."

"Brother! Please... don't leave me..." Alphonse whimpered.

"Never." Ed cracked his knuckles and huddled onto a dry area of sidewalk sheltered by a tree. He took out a piece of chalk that he always kept handy (don't ask where 0.o) and drew a certain circle out. It was the best he could do. This was the only one he really memorized. Taking a deep breath, he thumped his hands onto the edge of the circle.

"This is for mom."

Suddenly, the burglars tripped over a newly transmuted wall and hit their foreheads onto the sidewalk with a loud thump. Edward cringed and ran. He had done enough damage. He couldn't finish them off. He didn't have the heart.

He ran and cried. Cried for his mom, cried for breaking his promise to his father, cried for having to hurt those men, when suddenly, he felt a tug on the back of his shirt, pulling him into an alley.

"Hey little brat, you really hurt my friend back there. He might be dead, now. And I don't like that. So I'm going to kill you. Oh, but I'm not going to give you a mercifully quick death. I'm going to slowly cut off each of your limbs and you will be screaming for my mercy," the man brought a wicked smile upon his face while he held Ed up by his ankles, upside down. Ed desperately punched him in that one spot, causing the man to grunt in pain.

"Dammit, you runt, that fucking hurt. I think I'll cut off your right arm then, since that's what you used to punch me." Ed's eyes widened. He screamed as the blade pierced his flesh. Cold pain made it's way through his flesh and muscle and finally, through the bone. He screamed and struggled, tears falling from his face like waterfalls. In this part of town, no one would hear him scream. Or at least, they would ignore it.

"Next I'll do your leg." Ed whimpered and struggled even harder. The pain! Aw dammit, he was going to pass out. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Once again, he felt the edge of the blade slice through his left thigh, right above the knee. His tormentor was making his way through the bone when a gunshot rang out.

"Step away from the boy!" A blond woman in a military uniform gripped a pistol pointed at the man.

"Damn. Gotta go, shrimp!" The man began to run down the alley, hopping up a fire escape and disappearing into the night.

"Fuck! Entail a pursuit!" The woman with the gun began to run after him. "He's a wanted criminal. Dead or alive. Come one!" She yelled to four other men. They all began to pursuit the man, but Edward knew that he'd be long gone. The knife still in his leg, he pulled himself up into a standing position. Edward knew that taking out the blade would probably cause more bleeding. No matter the pain, he kept it in, trying to prevent bleeding to death. He ripped off the remains of his shirt and held it to where his arm should be. He swore and hobbled as quickly as he could towards the Rockbell's. They'd help him, he knew.

On his way out of the alley, he met eyes with a dark-haired man with slanting dark eyes. He walked towards him, offering him help or at least a ride, insisting that he'd go to a hospital, but Edward shook his head.

"No, I can take care of myself. The people I'm going to are very skilled doctors. They'll help me." Edward eyed the man one more time and hobbled away. The man stood their in silence for a second then shrugged.

Edward finally arrived on the Rockbell's porch. He had already lost a hell of a lot of blood. He rang the bell weekly and then collapsed unconscious.

Dr. Sara Rockbell opened the door and gasped. She scooped up Ed's little form and set him on the kitchen table.

"UREY! GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE! IT'S EDWARD! HE'S LOOSING BLOOD!"

Dr. Urey Rockbell hopped over the stairs railing with a medical instrument bag. The two got to work, stopping the bleeding and cutting off the rest of his leg. The knife had already gone through the bone marrow, it wasn't salvageable and most likely infected, anyway. It would be Ed's best interest to remove it and have Pinako install automail on, instead. Yes, that's what they would do.

-May 8, 1913-

"Hey! Shorty! Got any goods on ya? Hand everything you've got over or it's goodbye to your little brother here." The older boy smirked down at Edward. He had to be at least three years older then Edward, now fourteen. The guy's gang had thirteen-year-old Alphonse pinned up against a wall, where the poor kid was struggling, throwing useless punched at kicking into air.

"I'm telling you, Duke, your best choice is to put my brother down and leave us be. That way, I don't have to hurt anyone."

"Shut up, shrimp. This is your last chance."

"Don't call me small," Edward stuck out his tongue then clapped his hands together. "Al, watch out, okay," Ed called to his brother as he thumped his hands on the ground. The asphalt crumbled beneath the feet of Duke and his gang. They fell heavily onto the crumbled asphalt with a yelp. "Let's go, Al!" Alphonse nodded and sprang up to his feet, running after his brother. Ed had too big a heart to really hurt anyone. A clean escape would be enough for now.

After running for quite a bit, Edward stopped to rest. They were on the outskirts of Central Headquarters. Over the past three years, the brothers had studied alchemy as if their lives depended on it. They started out with Eastern HQ's library, sneaking into the alchemical research labs and state libraries at night. They had stayed with their family friends, Drs. Sara and Urey Rockbell, their daughter Winry, and old lady Pinako, who had fitted Edward with automail. They slowly started drifting away from home, hopping to different towns with state libraries with information on alchemy. The boys studied hard and Ed gained the ability to transmute without a circle, instead, simply clapping his hands together. They were known nationwide as "The Faceless Orphaned Elric Prodigies." No one really knew what they looked like accept for the fact that Edward, the eldest, was quite short and wore tight black clothes with a red coat with a black flamel on it. The younger was said to be about the same height, chubby with baby fat, and was always wearing khaki shorts, a tee shirt, an open button-down shirt, and had a necklace with a red flamel pendant. The older had bangs and a braid while the younger had side bangs and hair cut short. Slowly, the two had drifted into Central, staying at cheap motels or simply finding shelter in 24-hour libraries.

Panting, Ed smiled and turned to face his brother. He started to laugh, and was soon holding his sides, cracking up. Al stared at him funny at first and then his lips pulled into a small smile, grew bigger, and soon, he was cracking up alongside his older brother. Neither had a clue what was so funny, but that's how they usually were. Nothing really had much reason to them.

Edward smiled once he had regained composure. The sun was setting over Central City and the view was fantastic. This was nice. He hugged his little brother close and took his fist to rub his head. Al swatted him away playfully and looked up at him, smiling.

"Brother, I love you. Thanks for everything."

"I love too, Al. And that's my job. I made a promise along time ago to care and protect you and mom. It may be too late for mom, but I've got you. And I promise on top of that promise that I'll never let anything happen to you. You are my world."

To be continued...


	2. Always Together Within the Heart

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 1: Always Together Within the Heart**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don;t ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!

**This is one of the fanfics available on Deviant Art. Therefore, it will never go above PG-13 and Roy and Ed's relationship will never go very far. However, I may create a sequel or branch story to this fic so that I can write some juicy lemons for their relationship in this story. Thanks! Enjoy the fic!**

"Brother, are you done yet? I'm hungry!"

"Shut up, Al. I'm still researching."

"Researching what?"

"Harnessing and controlling pure alchemic power. Now hush!"

"That's it? I can do that in my sleep!"

"Oh, really? Show me." Edward squinted at his brother with disbelieving.

"Brother, you're so... so... pompous," Al rolled his eyes and got up, backing away from anything that could be easily broken or messed up. "Watch and learn."

Al took out a stub of chalk and quickly drew out a circle. He took a deep breath and placed his hands to the edge. He slowly brought his hands up, a glowing purple aura forming between the palms of Al's hands. Al positioned his hands as if we were holding a sphere and concentrated. The purple aura soon began to shape into a sphere. Al squinted harder and then pushed the sphere towards the chair he vacated. The sphere impacted the chair, shattering it into pieces and leaving a dark burn circle on the ground, under the impacted area. Alphonse drew another circle and transmuted a chair identical to the previous one, plopping in it, exhausted.

"Oh wow, Al. I had no idea that you could harness and control! That's more advanced then my clapping method!"

"It's really nothing special, Brother. It's actually quite simple. Now can we get food?"

"Ugh, you're only fourteen. You're not supposed to have all these hunger urges yet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on!" Al was halfway out the door when he remembered all of their things. He ran back and piled up all of their personal books and research notes. He chalked out a transmutation circle next to the pile and then plopped the pile down on top. He clapped his hands to the edge of the circle and the large pile began to transform into a small cardboard box, as big as Al's fingertip. He pulled at the chain on his neck, withdrawing a small box-shaped metal locket with a flamel engraved into it. He admired it for a second before placing the cardboard in it and shutting it closed with a click. They would simply un-transmute the dense cardboard back into their research later. Ed smiled at his brother's abilities. Al was really coming a long way with alchemy. He might even surpass Edward Elric himself.

"Come on, Al. There's a stop and shop place a few blocks away. I don't have a lot of money left. We'll have to transmute some later."

"Aw, but Brother, I wanted to have a fancier lunch today. I wanted mashed potatoes and a steak. Yeah, a steak. Mmmmmm..."

"Al, you act like such a rich kid sometimes. You're getting a hot dog and a bag of potato chips."

"Okay, that works, too."

The boys made their way out of the branch library and down the block towards the stop and shop. Ed bought a couple hot dogs, two bags of chips, a chug of milk and a soda. Ed offered Al the milk and a hot dog and chips.

"Brother, you should really drink the milk, not me."

"Why? I hate milk."

"So you'll grow!"

"Shaddup!" Ed glared at his brother before gulping down some soda to make a point. The two were sitting on the curb of the silent street. This street was never particularly busy, so it was peaceful and made well for a picnic.

Al squinted into the distance. Something felt wrong. Something was off. Something wasn't quite right.

"Brother... Something... something..." Al struggled with his words. Ed eyed him. Al never stumbled on words. Something was wrong. Edward knew that his younger brother had somewhat of a sixth sense. Al could sense things before they happened. The day their father left, the day that their mother was murdered, all had been days where Al would act as if something was amiss.

"Al, do you sense something?" Ed got up and motioned for his brother to do the same.

"It's... it's... that feeling..." Al sat still in shocked fear. Something was definitely wrong.

"Come on, Al! Get up!"

"Ed..."

Edward tugged at Al's arm. If Al sensed something, they had to get a move on! He grunted in frustration. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and Ed ducked, tackling Al with him. He heard a loud hiss go pass his ear. He took in a sharp breath at the ringing in his ears. He jumped back up and searched for the perpetrator. Alphonse rubbed his head from the impact on the ground and stood up shakily.

"Hello, chibi-san," A man resembling a palm tree wearing a sports bra and a mini skirt stood in front of Ed, a disposed-of gun thrown a few yards away.

"Don't call me small," Ed grunted, "what the hell do you want from us?"

"Oh, nothing, really. You see, my, erm, organization is collecting skilled alchemists for our own reasons. And the Orphaned Elric Brothers are extremely skilled."

"How do you know who we are?" Al demanded, stepping up to stand next to his brother.

"Ah, the older brother speaks."

"I'M THE OLDER BROTHER!" Ed charged at the man. However, he sidestepped at the last second, causing Ed to crash to the ground.

"Oh, really? Well, good for you."

"Bastard..." Ed stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Besides, we're the FACELESS Orphaned Elric Brothers."

"Ah, but I know your face, therefore you're not faceless."

"Bastard."

"My name isn't Bastard. Let me introduce myself. I am Envy. I am in an organization called The Homunculi. We kidnap and use skilled alchemists."

Al's eyes widened and then he scowled. Withdrawing a piece of chalk, he speedily chalked out a circle. Grunting as he clapped his hands to the ground, a spike erected from the ground beneath Envy, who jumped up a little too late. The spike scraped his leg, causing Envy to scowl.

"Damned brat... I am so taking you back." Envy glared at Al, who shriveled back behind Ed for protection. Envy let out a cry and charged towards the younger boy. Ed jumped in front of his brother protectively and spread his arms and clapped. A spear grew from the ground and into Ed's hands.

"AL! Start harness and control!" Ed looked back at his brother, who nodded, before charging at Envy with the spear.

Al began to draw out the circle, but his chalk stub cracked, small pieces rolling away.

"Damn..."

Al went after a piece, naively running towards Envy.

"ALPHONSE! WATCH OUT!" Ed shouted as he saw Envy change direction towards Al.

"AGH!" Envy grabbed Al roughly and wrapped his arm around the boy's mouth, preventing him from talking or screaming for help.

"AL!" Ed dashed toward Envy, who was now making his escape.

"Later, pipsqueak!" And with that, Envy was gone in a flash of light.

"ALPHONSE!" Ed ran in the general direction Envy went, but the kidnapper was long gone.

"Al..." Ed fell to his knees and then hugged himself into a rock-like form. "AL! NOOOO! Why? WHY? You damned so called God, why the fuck did you take my brother from me? Alphonse... Al..."

"Hey, shrimp! Where's your precious little brother?"

Ed lifted his head and squinted at the figure looking down on him.

"Duke..."

"Hey, guys! Looks like the shrimp's brother left him, too! Just like his mommy and daddy!"

"Cut it out, Duke. You don't know anything about me."

"Aw, come on shrimp, I'm just messing with ya."

"Fuck you."

"Hey guys, did the shrimp just say what I think he said?

"Don't call me that..."

"Guys, I think we should punish him. Don't you?"

"'Course, Duke-sama, 'tever ya say!"

"Stop, it, Duke!"

"Go and get him, guys." Duke smirked and took a step back as his gang of four other guys around his age walked up to Ed, who was still kneeling on the ground. Ed sighed. There was no point. He lost Al. There was no longer any point in living. They could kill him today, beat him to death, he didn't care. He didn't care...

~To be continued...


	3. Savior

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 2: Savior**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don;t ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!

"Fine, Duke. Go ahead. Take my life," Edward mumbled with defeat. He was sick of being Fate's Bitch, sick of the torture, sick of putting his life in danger for others who would be taken away from him, sick of being alone. With Alphonse gone, there was no more point in surviving the cruel place we call the world. Without Al...

Duke quirked an eyebrow. He eyed the younger boy up and down and then pinched himself.

"Give up so soon, shrimp?"

"Yeah, just do whatever." Ed hung his head and opened up his arms as if to invite them to throw the opening punch. Duke wrinkled his brow but then shrugged and nodded to his thugs. They snickered and charged at Edward. One of them kicked him down while another punched into his cheek. Once he was down, another boy tackled him and repeatedly punched at his head. The others brutally kicked into his ribs with a snap. Edward grunted at the first strike then began screaming once tackled. By the time his torturers had gotten into rhythm, Edward had begun to cry. Pretty soon, tears were running down Ed's face. But he showed no sign of struggle. He wanted this. He wanted to end his life of pain and suffering. He wanted to disappear off the face of the earth. There was no more reason. His only reason was Alphonse and now that Al was gone, he had no purpose.

The gang cackled and taunted Edward brutally while beating the shit out of him. Suddenly, there was a loud screech caused by car tires and a loud door slam followed by fast footsteps.

"HEY! What the hell is going on here?"

"None of your business, old man!" Duke reached to his back pants pocket to retrieve a pistol. "Back off now and I won't shoot."

The middle-aged man squinted his slanting dark eyes. He blew his midnight black hair out of his face and reached into his suit pocket, withdrawing a gloved hand.

"I'll ask you one more time, kid, what the hell is going on here?" By now, the gang had backed away from Edward, who was now in a bleeding fetal position. You could faintly here him whimpering.

"I'm sorry, old man, but you asked for this!" Duke pointed the pistol at the man and put a slight pressure on the trigger. The man shook his head and smirked. Using his gloved hand, he snapped and Duke's arm went up in flames. The boy screamed in shock and agony and his minions glared at the man. They all glanced at one another and then charged at the man.

The man smirked softly and snapped, causing the boys' legs to go up in flame. They all fell over on top one another and screamed in pain. The man eyed the burning gang rolling around on the ground for a second and then proceeded towards the shriveled up heap of red and blond.

The man frowned and crouched down next to the boy. He searched for the boy's hand and felt his inner wrist. It was barely there, but he could feel a soft heart beat. The man stopped. Should he take him to the hospital? No, he didn't know anything about this boy or if there was anyone waiting for him. He would just be lost in the hospital. After all, the nearest hospital was pretty far, and by the looks of it, this kid seemed to be living on the streets. The man wrinkled his nose and unraveled the boy so he was lying flat on his back. The man inspected each of his wounds and decided that none were bleeding enough to be fatal. He scooped the kid up and laid him in the backseat.

The boy whimpered, almost as if he was trying to protest, but didn't have the strength to. The man shrugged and claimed his seat at the steering wheel. Trying to drive quickly, but civilly at the same time, the man hurried towards a certain home on a quiet street. The residence of Dr. Knox.

The man pulled up Knox's driveway and practically ran to the door with the boy in his arms. Holding the boy over his shoulder with one arm, the man banged his fist into the wood door.

"KNOX! OPEN UP! IT'S MUSTANG!"

With that, the door was slowly creaked open. Knox took a peak and then opened the door further, allowing Roy to come in.

"Knox, I found this boy being beaten to death on the street by a bunch of thugs. He seems like a street kid and the hospital's pretty far. I don't know a thing about him and I doubt the kid can afford healthcare himself, and I don't think I can afford what he needs, either. Please, I'm begging you; can you fix this boy up?"

"Mustang..."

"Please?" Knox looked at Roy. He stared into his eyes. Something shown in those midnight blue eyes of his. Something like... care. It had been a while since anyone had seen Roy show feelings of caring, let alone any emotion.

Knox sighed and motioned for Roy to set the boy down on the kitchen table. The doctor walked out to find his old medical instruments. Roy looked around himself just in case and then walked over to the boy. He was genuinely worried. That had always been his downside. Caring too much. He cared too much about the human life, about his victims, about his subordinates. And now he was mesmerized by this random street kid that he saved from the brink of death.

Mustang knelt down beside the child and brushed back the grimy locks of blond hair sticking to his face with sweat. He sighed and wiped away some of the blood trailing out of his mouth with his own thumb.

"Mustang?" Dr. Knox was eyeing him quizzically from the doorway with a smirk.

Startled, Roy stood up and brushed himself off.

"Er..." Roy twiddled his thumbs, lost for an explanation.

"Whatever, just help me, okay?"

Roy nodded and the two got to work cleaning and dressing the boy's wounds.

-

"Roy, we need to talk. Not as accomplices, but as friends."

"What is it, Knox?" Roy glared at him, and then quickly resumed his position staring at the boy, as if he had forgotten for a moment.

"Mustang, in the hallway, please. I need your full, undivided attention." Knox rolled his eyes.

Roy looked up at the doctor, then back at the boy, and reluctantly followed Knox into the hallway.

Shutting the door, Knox firmly held Roy's shoulders.

"Listen to me, Roy. Don't get too attached to the kid. He's a fucking street kid. I bet you he's not even going to be grateful to you for saving his damned life. I know how these street kids work. Just don't prepare yourself to get hurt, okay? You're already getting too attached."

"I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself, Knox. I'm prepared for anything. Don't worry about me." Roy glanced back at the door.

Knox sighed. "Fine, but I'm not going to house this kid now that I'm done treating him. I wrote down what you'll need to do with him and I already placed a prescription order that should be ready by tomorrow night. Take him to your place to recover. I don't want any street kids in MY house."

"Knox, you can be so heartless. Oh, whatever. Thanks for your help. Could you help me get him into my car? How much longer should he be out?"

"Oh, he's lost a lot of blood and has a minor concussion. He should wake up by tomorrow afternoon. Come on; let's get this boy to your place."

"Alright."

To be continued...


	4. Equivalent Exchange

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 3: The First Universal Law of Equivalent Exchange**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don;t ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!

-  
PREVIOUSLY ON "TRUST WITHIN ITSELF":

"Oh, he's lost a lot of blood and has a minor concussion. He should wake up by tomorrow afternoon. Come on; let's get this boy to your place."

"Alright."

Edward woke up to a warm wool blanket wrapped around his bare shirtless body. Something was certainly off here... rubbing his eyes, he's slowly opened them. Everything was foggy at first. Ed blinked a few times and squinted as his eyes began to focus. He seemed to be in a bedroom. The afterlife was pretty weird, huh? And that's when the headache hit him.

He grunted groggily in pain and brought his hands up to rub his temples.

"Ah, so Sleeping Beauty has finally woken up?"

Edward lifted his head towards the doorway to look at whoever had spoken. His eyes met midnight blue, sparkling with amusement. The man appeared to be in his late twenties and wore a pair red pajama pants and an open, matching red pajama shirt, slightly revealing his toned chest.

"Who are you? Where the hell am I? Why am I here? Am I still alive?" Ed figured that if the man wanted to kill him, he'd be dead by now, that is, if he wasn't already...

The man walked over to Ed's bedside and pulled up a chair. Sitting on it backwards, he smiled warmly at Edward.

"My name is Roy Mustang. You are in my guest room in my home and you are here because I brought you here after saving your life and getting your wounds treated. Which should answer your next question, yes, you are still alive."

Ed nodded slowly, taking it all in.

"Would you mind if I asked you some questions," Roy asked, his eyes sincere and caring. After studying the man's eyes for anything that will lead to trouble later, Edward nodded.

"Yes, that'd be fine, Mr. Mustang."

"Please, call me Roy."

"Okay. Roy."

"First of all, what's your name?"

Edward swallowed and hesitated before replying, "Edward. Edward El-" He caught himself and then lied, "Eldrinne. Edward Eldrinne." Roy looked at him skeptically. The boy had to be fibbing. No one takes that much time to think of their name, but he let it slide. Maybe the boy would tell him in time.

"Okay, Edward. You're about 12, right?"

Edward turned bright red and took a few deep breaths, trying to count back from ten to calm himself. But, he just couldn't.

"DON'T CALL ME SMALL! I'M NOT A SHRIMP OR A PIPSQUEAK OR A MINISCULE ATOM!" Roy eyed him with an amused smirk.

"I didn't call you any of that."

"Uh, sorry, I'm just, uh, a bit sensitive about my... height." Edward turned bright red and looked away in shame.

"So you're not 12, then, shorty?" Roy smirked. This was just too fun.

"NO! I'm 15, goddammit!"

"Really? Wow..." Roy was actually surprised. The boy seemed to be so young!

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, next question!"

"Okay, okay! Where do you live?"

"To be honest, I live on the streets with-" Ed paused in thought. "With no one. I usually pull all-nighters studying at libraries or if I can manage enough money, I'll rent a room or two at a motel. I've stayed around Central for a few years now, actually."

Roy nodded. Just as he expected, a vagabond. There were too many war orphans wandering around since Ishbal. It was only common.

"I see. Where are you originally from, then, Edward?"

"A little farm town in the east. It's called Risembool. My father left my family when we were really young so he could do research or something; I'm not too sure. And my mother... my mom.. she, um, she died..." Edward wasn't ready to reveal the rest of his history. That should be enough for his medical documents. He'd transmute some money later to make up for the medical costs that he probably owed the guy.

"I'm sorry," Roy cast his eyes downward. How depressing.

"Please, don't put any blame on yourself," Edward assured him as he tried to sit up.

Roy chuckled and pushed him back down, concluding his interrogation and said, "I insist that you stay here to recover at the least. And then we can talk."

"Thank you, sir. But if I'm too much trouble, I can definitely manage on my own."

"Well, rest now, Edward. Your clothes were mostly torn up or too bloody to be salvaged, but I pulled out a box of my old clothes. I left some money on the counter if you want to go out and buy something to wear instead, because I'm not sure if my clothes will fit you."

"Thank you, Roy-san. I'll try not to spend too much."

"Well, I have to go to work. I'll be back around six with dinner. There's enough food in the fridge for your lunch, I suppose."

"Oh, then can I do anything while you're gone? I don't know, tidy up or something? I just feel so indebted to you. It's only equivalent exchange."

Roy quirked a brow at the boy's usage of alchemic terms, but dismissed it quickly. He said he crashed in libraries often, so maybe he read a basic alchemy book or something.

"Fine, but you should take it easy. I suppose you can dust and wash the dishes if you'd like. But please don't struggle. We don't want any of your wounds opening up!"

"Yes, I understand. I just don't like being idle."

"Alright, you rest a bit while I go get changed for work."

Edward sighed and laid back into the soft bed. It had been a long time since he slept in a nice bed. When they could, he and Al would buy a night or two at a cheap motel, but they never had nice beds. The two's main source of money was alchemy. They would do simple alchemic fixes for people and the people would pay them. When they were desperate, they'd transmute some money. Yes, it was illegal, but how else was Ed supposed to pay for food the food he had to put in his baby brother's mouth? Or the clothes to keep on his baby brother's body?

"I'll be leaving now, Edward. Remember to take it easy!"

"Wait! Roy-san, is that a military uniform?" Edward panicked. Government? This wasn't good. He'd find out sooner or later and Ed would be sent to jail!

"Yeah, I'm a colonel. To be honest, I hate the current government and I hope to become Fuhrer one day so I can change it."

Ed sighed with relief. He was safe after all. That's when the twinkle of silver from Roy's pocket caught Edward's eye.

"Is that a state alchemist watch?"

"Yes, Edward, it is. I'm the Flame Alchemist."

"The Flame? Really! Oh my god, I finally get to meet the Flame Alchemist! I read about you in some alchemy books. Flame alchemy... Wow..." Edward stared at the man with true amazement. THE Flame Alchemist saved his life! Wait until Al heard! Wait. Al...

"Really? I didn't know I was such a celebrity! Well, I'm off to work then!"

"Okay, see you later then."

"Goodbye."

-

Edward stood up wobbly at first. He was determined to do something for this man, however. He thought back to the one of the first lines he'd ever read about alchemy. Human kind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange."

He and Alphonse had lived by that rule sincerely and honestly. Although, their lives were focused on a single goal: finding their father. Apparently, back in the day, their father was a highly intelligent alchemic research. He was a state alchemist researcher. He made many discoveries and modern alchemy techniques. As much as Edward loathed him, he was the key to success. If they could find Van Hoenheim of Light, then they should become the greatest alchemists in history. Together, they could easily surpass their father.

Edward smiled as he began to walk regularly again. First thing first, transmute some clothes. Edward hobbled down the hallway to find that box of clothes Roy had talked about. Finding it, he pulled out a red turtleneck sweater, a (very big) leather jacket, a black scarf, and some large boots. Sighing, he piled everything and clapped his hands, slamming them into the clothes pile. After a second, the pile had turned into a neat pile of new clothes. The first was a red tee-shirt with a black flamel printed on the front. The second was a pair of leather pants. The last were two black leather boots, shrunk to fit Edward. Smiling at his handiwork, Edward got dressed. The tee shirt was snug and fitted, showing off his muscle. The pants were a little tight, but hey, he made them from a jacket, remember? The boots were just right, just like his old ones. Yes, this would do for now. He would just transmute his old clothes from some cloth later. He always stashed some cloth for transmuting at various libraries around Central.

Getting down to business, Edward made his way to the kitchen to wash the dishes. He actually enjoyed it. It relaxed him.

-

Roy daydreamed out the window in his office. God, that boy wouldn't leave his head! He kept worrying about him and the worst case scenario. Many times, Riza would pop in and shoot a bullet at his feet to get his mind back on things.

But Riza was on lunch break, she wasn't here now. He could space out all he wanted. Think about anything and everything.

That boy... That boy, Edward... he was just so strange... but in a good way. Roy felt the need to protect and comfort that teenager, a feeling he had never had for anyone before. His eyes full of pain and determination. His stamina, his resistance, his will to survive. That boy was amazing.

He had spent most of his time thinking about the boy's answers to his questions. His name was Edward, he was certain, as the boy didn't have to think about that, but his family name couldn't be Eldrinne. He had to stop and think of something. From the point of stopping, it sounded like his name started with "El." Hmm, strange. The kid just about fit the description of the elder of those Elric Brothers. They were said to be the offspring of Van Hoenheim of Light, history's greatest alchemist, and their mother was said to be murdered by burglars, but those were just rumors.

I was quite amusing to tease that boy on his height. Roy hadn't the slightest idea why, but it was just so fun! His reactions were hilarious! He'd have to keep that in mind for later...

Suddenly, he heard a shot ring out and felt a bullet land between his feet. He snapped his head up and pulled on a glove, but then realized it was only Riza. He sighed and picked up his pen. Time to get back to work...

-

Edward had finished dusting and cleaning the dishes and the kitchen and cleaning out the fridge and taking out the trash and a hell of a lot of other stuff, so he decided that he could rest for the rest of the day. Taking a bag of chips with him, he wandered around Roy's house until he found a certain room in particular. Yes. The library.

Carefully, he went searching for Roy's flame alchemy books. An alchemist had to be well rounded, ne? Finding a few old and dusty books, Edward got to work with trying to decode the books. Some were written in a code about guns. Which was hard for poor Edward, as he barely knew the difference between a pistol and a shotgun.

Another of the books was coded as a date book. It was filled with love stories with many different women. That's why Ed knew that it couldn't REALLY be a diary of all of Mustang's dates. It had to be another alchemy book.

After finding some paper and a pen, Edward set to work, spreading himself out on the library's floor. If he had to recover first before setting out to find Alphonse, he might as well be productive in the meanwhile.

-

It was late. Almost nine o'clock and Edward searched the kitchen for food for the hundredth time that evening. Where was Roy with dinner? He was starving! And frankly, he didn't know where the hell he was in town, therefore, he didn't know of anywhere to eat around here. Maybe Roy died and he was going to starve to death... Dammit! Where the fuck was the food!

Edward plopped into a chair at the kitchen table and grumbled something about food. He threw his head back and groaned in frustration.

"Hello?" The front door was opened and footsteps clacked into the kitchen.

"Roy-san!" Edward jumped up and smiled, eyeing the bag that Roy had in his hand.

"Hello, Edward! Wow, this place is the cleanest it's ever been! I'm truly amazed," Roy praised the boy, taking a look around. "You really didn't need to, you know."

"It's the least I can do. Equivalent exchange," Edward replied. "Food?"

Roy chuckled the poor kid was a teenaged boy. He probably ate non-stop.

"Yes, Ed, I brought back some burgers. Eat up and then go to bed. You'll recover faster, and besides, it's been a long day."

"Speaking of long days, what took you so long?"

"Ah, I had a hell of a lot of paperwork to do. My first lieutenant is a real pain in the ass when it come to paperwork."

"Oh, I see."

"Nice clothes, kid. Where'd you get them? All the money's still here?"

"Oh, um..." Edward thought. How could he be so stupid? "I, uh, ran to one of libraries where I hide, uh, my stuff, and uh, got it." Ed tried so desperately to lie convincingly, but Roy saw right through it. He didn't ask though. The boy had to have reasons for not sharing.

"Oh, okay, now eat!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Edward smiled and bit into his burger.

To be continued...


	5. The Infamous Elric Brother

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 4: The Infamous Elric Brother**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don;t ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!

-  
PREVIOUSLY ON "TRUST WITHIN ITSELF":

Roy chuckled and pushed him back down, concluding his interrogation and said, "I insist that you stay here to recover at the least. And then we can talk."

"Thank you, sir. But if I'm too much trouble, I can definitely manage on my own."

~1 WEEK LATER~

"Ed, you should get going while he's not completely drunk... He really lost control this time. I think he was just extremely excited a bout his promotion," Gracia chuckled and handed Edward his and Roy's coats. It was around midnight and Roy and his team had had a party at Lieutenant Maes Hughes' house. Roy and Ed had gotten quite close over the week of his recovery, so Roy had insisted that Edward go to celebrate his promotion with him.

He had already met the team before. They had told him that he was all that Roy talked about at work, so they had to see the infamous Edward. He had gotten along with them well. He was actually very happy with his current life, but he knew that it couldn't last. Very soon, he would to go and find Al. The only down part to the past week was that he didn't have his brother.

But rest assured, Edward had vowed to protect Alphonse, even if he died in the process. He had studied Roy's flame alchemy in secret, hoping that it would help him in finding and rescuing Al. He refused to be idle and take in the cushy good life when his brother was probably being deprived of basic necessities and tortured by the Homunculi. What a funny name for an organization. Of all things to pick...

Ed smiled at Gracia and nodded. "Yeah, that's probably the best idea. Don't want him so drunk that he can't walk home!" Edward laughed as he put on his black jacket , taking Mustang's brown leather jacket over his arm.

"Come on Roy! We should leave before you get wasted," Edward called into the living room. Roy looked at him and then nodded, walking wobbly towards the boy. Edward sighed and took Roy's arm over his shoulder for support. Roy smiled. Edward was such a nice boy. Deciding that he should milk it, Roy allowed the boy to pretend he was too drunk to walk by himself. Well, maybe he WAS too drunk to walk straight, but at least he was still conscious and fairly clear-minded.

"You know, Roy, you old mop, you really should be more careful about drinking. This is really quite pathetic, you know. I mean, it's like you're telling me that you actually need me! And then that would definitely make my day, because that would mean that you're surrendering our silent war over to me, so therefore, I'm the winner. Got that, Mustang? I won! Ha ha! In your face!" Ed rambled on, finding the moment awkward. The streets were dark and quiet in the residential area and they still had about ten more minutes left until they got home.

"HALT!"

Edward stopped and yanked his head up to see a shadowy figure walking towards them. Edward's eyes widened in shock and panic as he realized who had blocked them from passing.

"What do you want from me this time, Envy?" Edward frowned at him and stood Roy upright.

"Look, little guy, I don't need random civilians getting in my way. I'm here to take the Flame Alchemist for my organization. Now scoot along before I have to hurt you!"

Edward glared at him before sidestepping, allowing Roy to be in front and center. Apparently, Al's kidnapper didn't recognize him. Had he changed that drastically in the past week? He could trust the Flame Alchemist to take care of the palm tree, right? He was a state alchemist, after all.

Roy eyed the man suspiciously before dramatically pulling on his white gloves and getting ready to snap his fingers.

"Look, stranger, I'll give you one more chance to leave us alone before I torch you, okay?"

"Okay, then I'll give you one more chance to come with me quietly so nobody gets hurt."

"Fine, you asked for it. Here goes EVERYTHING," Roy shouted, snapping his fingers loudly. His plan would've worked better if he hadn't been so tipsy.

Instead of Envy being set aflame, both Roy and Edward could hear his loud, obnoxious cackle filled the air. It took Edward a second to realize what had happened. Since Roy was drunk and could barely concentrate on things, he couldn't produce a good enough spark. Basically, he was as useless as wet.

"Damnit. Not this time, Envy. Not this time, too," Ed muttered. Acting quickly, he pushed a confused Roy back with his arm, determined to protect this time.

"Look, kid, get out of my way. I don't want to hurt anyone unnecessarily," Envy rolled his eyes, mostly annoyed.

"I'm going to give you one chance to go away peacefully."

"For the last time, I'm not going to firkin leave without Flamey here!" Envy was growing impatient. Deciding that taking another life could be fun, he charged toward the boy.

"You fucking asked for this!" Edward threw his arms back and clapped, slamming his hands into the ground with extreme force. A blinding shock of blue electricity sparked from his hands. The sidewalk morphed and encased the enemy in thick rock.

Edward ran up to him and threw a punch to his face with his right arm, leaving a large bruise on his cheek.

"Where's my brother," Ed growled, teeth gritted.

"Is that you, pipsqueak? Oh damnit, I should've known... Well, I wasn't prepared to face an Elric, I was expecting a half drunk Flame Alchemist. Well, I'll be on my way, then," Envy smirked and broke through the stone using his fist.

"Seeya, shorty!"

Edward stood dumbfounded. Damn he was strong! Oh well, at least he and Roy were safe. Oh shit! He forgot that Roy was there! Didn't Envy call him Elric when he was encased in the rock? Now his cover was blown! Roy knew who he was, now. He probably wouldn't want to take care of him anymore, especially since he used alchemy. Maybe it was for the better... After all, he was just about fully recovered and he had just gained a new lead on Al's location! It couldn't be far from Central, since Envy kept coming back.

He decided it was best to take care of the matter at hand. Edward decided that even if Roy didn't want him around anymore, he should at least stick around for one more night to make sure that he choke on vomit or whatever. Better safe than sorry.

The blond strolled over to Roy as if nothing had happened and threw the man's arm over his shoulder once again. Roy stared at him in awe for a moment before dismissing all thought. Did... did Ed just perform alchemy? And did that thing call him by the name of Elric? He must be pretty drunk... but... he felt extremely sober, now... Wha...? He dismissed all thoughts and rested his weight on Ed. He would ask in the morning. For now, it was time to get home and get some rest.

-

"Roy, I think it's best if you just go to bed. Remember to sleep sitting up, okay?"

"Thanks, Edward. You rest up, too. We've got a lot to talk about tomorrow."

Edward's smile shrunk into a solemn expression of eyes hardened with pain and lip pursed with sorrow. He nodded and made his way to his room.

"Oh, an Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks back there. I might not understand much at the moment but I do understand one thing. And that's that you were there for me. Now, if you're living by that equivalent exchange law, I might just owe YOU," Roy chuckled and patted Edward on the back lovingly. Ed smiled and nodded, making his way to his room.

To be continued...


	6. Confidant

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 5: Confidant**

**THIS IS AN FMA FANFIC!**

**!Please read the comments and the section directly below this. It will make your time reading easier!**

[This is a multi-chapter fic. Go here to read it from the beginning: .com/art/Trust-Within-Itself-Prologue-176509902 ]

_Disclaimer, Warning, and Important Notes: I don't own FMA, only this plot. I would rate this fanfic PG-13 for violence and language. This fic will have either subtle yaoi or Parental!RoyxEd, it depends on how you want to look at it. I prefer the latter. However, this is turning more towards the parental side. But I still make them sound hawt, hehehe. This is also AU. The homunculi aren't really homunculi. And in this chapter, I have a Wimpy!Ed type of Edward... And this isn't beta'd. It's only spelling and grammar checked. Now on with the fic!_

PREVIOUSLY ON "TRUST WITHIN ITSELF":

Oh shit! He forgot that Roy was there! Didn't Envy call him Elric when he was encased in the rock? Now his cover was blown! Roy knew who he was, now. He probably wouldn't want to take care of him anymore, especially since he used alchemy. Maybe it was for the better... After all, he was just about fully recovered and he had just gained a new lead on Al's location! It couldn't be far from Central, since Envy kept coming back.

"No... no...! AL! No..." Edward thrashed around in his bed. His screams echoed through the room. "AL!" The boy choked, a thin layer of sweat covering his body. "NO!" Tears streamed from his face as he tangled himself in the sheets, eventually falling to the floor. "GIVE HIM BACK!" Edward continued with his yelling and hitting invisible forces on the ground.

"EDWARD!" The door burst open. Roy rushed over to the pile of sheets and blond on the ground and found his shoulders to shake him awake. "Edward! Wake up! It's just a dream!"

Roy shook him harder, but all efforts were futile. What could possibly make Edward get so worked up? Roy was getting worried now. He couldn't get Edward to wake up and he was becoming quite violent.

"ALPHONSE!" Ed screeched, thrashing his right arm, catching Mustang's lip in the automail.

"Dammit, Ed, wake the fuck up!" Roy wiped the blood from his sleeve and decided on another approach to this. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand over the boy and smacked him smartly on his cheek.

"OW!" Ed awoke with a start, rubbing at his cheek with his flesh hand. "What the hell was that?"

"Edward, you were having an extremely strong nightmare. I couldn't get you to wake any other way."

"Oh, thanks, then," Edward frowned and stood up, untangling himself from the bed sheets. He straightened out his large tee shirt and boxers and made a move towards the bed again.

"Ed, wait a minute," Roy caught his wrist and pulled him back. Kneeling down to look him in the eye, he gave him a warm, comforting hug. Edward stared at him, eyes filled with confusion, innocence, and hinted with fear. Roy frowned at the tears streaking his face and took his thumb to wipe them away. He placed his hands firmly and gently onto Ed's shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"Now, Edward, if you just go back to bed, you'll only resume that night terror of yours. The best way to get rid of it is to talk about it. We might as well talk about everything, now, anyway. I have to leave for work earlier than usual tomorrow. The Fuhrer just called an emergency meeting for all state alchemists. Luck me, I get to go with a hangover. Anyway, enough with my babbling, let's get you some hot chocolate..."

Roy stood up and placed his hand firmly, but gently on the small of Edward's back to lead him into the front room. He set a quilt on the ground, placing Edward on top of it. Grabbing a large wool blanket, he gently wrapped it around Ed's shoulders. He moved toward the fireplace, stacking some firewood in it and pulling on his white glove to snap. The fireplace burst into a large, bright inferno, warming up the cold room.

"I'll be right back with some hot chocolate, okay Ed?"

Edward nodded slowly and relaxed into the warmth of the blanket.

Roy returned soon after, handing a large mug filled with chocolate brown liquid to Ed and keeping a mug of black coffee for himself. He studied the area for a moment before settling down across from Edward.

"Edward, is it alright if we talk about what happened back on the street? And not to mention the subject of your nightmare. You were terrified."

Edward nodded and set the mug down next to him.

"Roy, it's about time that you learned who I really am," Ed sighed, deciding this was best. "My name is Edward Elric. I have a younger brother named Alphonse Elric. My father was called Van Hoenheim of Light and my mother, Trisha Elric. Since Al and I started learning alchemy, we were referred to as the Elric Prodigies. We were also known to have our father's fortune, but that soon died out. Too many times, Mom, Al, and I were assaulted, almost kidnapped, robbed, maimed, you name it. The last straw was when we were being robbed in the dead of night. I was eleven. My brother was ten. My mom... she stayed behind to let us escape... And they... They... She..." Edward threw his face into his hands and sobbed. "THEY FUCKING KILLED HER! And we were being foreclosed! She lost her job! We were getting ready to move in with some neighbors, for fucking sakes! And after they killed her, I knocked most of them out. The last one caught me, though, and... and... He cut off my arm and leg... He would've killed me if the military didn't interfere. I remember their blue uniforms looking liking eternal relief for me. I thought I was going to die. I'll forever be in their debt. One even offered to take me to a hospital... He kinda looked like you, you know... I forgot his name..." Edward stopped to think back, determined to figure out the major's name.

"Edward..."

"Yeah?"

"That was... that was me," Roy whispered softly, his lips pulling into a small smile. Edward looked at him and chuckled.

"I guess it was meant to be," Roy chuckled. He scooted over toward Edward and sat himself against an armchair, pulling Edward into his lap to embrace him. "And I'm glad that it was."

Roy hugged the boy to his chest. He gently rested his head on the blond's and took in a breath. He smelled like vanilla... Roy smiled and kissed the top of his head, which startled the boy at first, but he soon relaxed into the man's chest. When was the last time he had someone hug him? Love him? Care about him? When was the last time that someone woke him from his nightmares? Was there to comfort him? Help him through everything? Edward let a lone tear trickle down his face happily.

"Edward, I do have one more question..."

"Yes, Roy?"

"What happened to your brother?"

Ed tensed and then relaxed again. He took a sip from his hot chocolate and snuggled up against Roy.

"Well, the day that you rescued me from Duke Farber and his gang was the day that Alphonse was kidnapped. We were only taking a lunch break from our usual studying and than that guy, Envy, the one who attacked us last night, he tried to kidnap us. He only succeeded in taking Al, though. I was totally emo that day, so I let Duke beat me up... And then you saved me. You are my savior, Roy. Saving me from death's grasp not only once, but twice..." Edward smiled and snuggled closer to Roy, closing his eyes and letting a yawn escape him.

"So Alphonse has been kidnapped?"

"Yes."

"By that man?"

"Yeah, they call themselves the Homunculi. They say that they want to harness the alchemic power of powerful alchemists."

"I'll bump that case up to the top of our to do list!"

"Really?"

"Of course! If it will help you, definitely!" Roy chuckled and pulled him closer, taking his empty mug from his hands to place on the ground. The fire warmed them in a comforting, sleepy manner. Roy sighed, taking in Ed's scent once again.

"Roy... I... I..." Edward took a deep breath. "Roy, I love you..."

It was barely a whisper, and Mustang could barely hear him, but the man leaned down and kissed his cheek, stopping to whisper in his ear.

"I love you, too."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	7. Tears

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 6: Tears**

**THIS IS AN FMA FANFIC!**

**!Please read the comments and the section directly below this. It will make your time reading easier!**

[This is a multi-chapter fic. Go here to read it from the beginning: .com/art/Trust-Within-Itself-Prologue-176509902 ]

_Disclaimer, Warning, and Important Notes: I don't own FMA, only this plot. I would rate this fanfic PG-13 for violence and language. This fic will have either subtle yaoi or Parental!RoyxEd, it depends on how you want to look at it. I prefer the latter. However, it keeps leaning into parental and then far back into yaoi and then kinda balances in the middle for a bit and so on. But I still make them sound hawt, hehehe. This is also AU. The homunculi aren't really homunculi. And this isn't beta'd. It's only spelling and grammar checked. Now on with the fic!_

PREVIOUSLY ON "TRUST WITHIN ITSELF":

"Roy... I... I..." Edward took a deep breath. "Roy, I love you..."

It was barely a whisper, and Mustang could barely hear him, but the man leaned down and kissed his cheek, stopping to whisper in his ear.

"I love you, too."

Edward sighed as he kicked a stone down the sidewalk. He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, head down in thought. What had he gotten himself into? Why did he always have such a damned short temper!

This morning, Roy had slept in and was running late. He had come home only hours before and was still quite tired. In his haste, he had left some files in his study concerning the case. Edward, being curious, had decided to take a peak. The blonde read each file thoroughly. After completing his analysis, he sighed and huffed to HQ to give Mustang the files.

"MUSTANG!" Edward glared at the (startled) colonel after slamming the door open, leaving a dent in the wall.

"Ed?" Mustang raised a brow as he stood up.

"Explain to me why you haven't been telling me when you're infiltrating the Homunculi's HQ?"

"Oh, Edo-kun, it's not within my jurisdiction. Nor is it safe for you."

"The hell you talking about? I'm a fucking Elric prodigy! I fucking saved your damned ass!"

Roy turned red as everyone in the anteroom heard Edward's statement. Fuery smiled while Havoc's cigarette fell to the floor from laughter. Collecting his thoughts, Mustang discolored his face and smiled.

"Yes, that's true. Fine, fine. I'll let you in on our invasions. On one condition."

"And that's...?" Edward glared at the man impatiently.

"Simple. You and your brother become state alchemists once the operation is complete. You'll be under my jurisdiction, of course, but you'll be helping me reform the nation."

"Blah-blah-sappy-blah. I'm not going to become a dog!"

"Oh, please, Ed! Remember my dream? You'll help me get there!"

"Is that what you think of me? I'm just some pawn that'll help you rise in the ranks to become fuhrer? Am I that close to nothing to you? Am I just a pawn that you'll throw away?" Edward glared at him, his eyes beginning to water. "I knew it! You're just like everyone else! I'm just a pawn that everyone uses and throw away! You're the same as everyone else!"

"No, no! Edward, you misunderstood! That's not what I mea-"

"That's exactly what you meant, and you fucking know it! I'll go get Al by myself! Don't expect me back tonight!" Edward clenched his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from coming. Trying to stop that- that- that BASTARD from seeing him cry. The boy spun on his heels and ran out of Roy's office, through the halls, and burst out the door and into the gardens. There, he stopped and let his face fall into his hands, salty streams of tears running down his cheeks. He sobbed, falling to his knees and finally folding into a tight ball, letting himself sob.

How did he allow himself to trust? How did he allow himself to love another besides his brother? How did he allow himself to postpone saving his poor younger brother's life to stay with a MILITARY man of all people? How? He should've known that he was just using him! He should've known! He shouldn't have let this happen, damnit! Now? Now he was reduced to a crying little pussy wrapped tightly in a ball under a bush in a military garden. Why did military buildings even HAVE gardens? All they did was kill! All they did was hurt and destroy and take away your loved ones! Damnit! He had to get Al back!

With renewed strength fueled by thought of Alphonse, Edward got up and brought his arm up to brush off the tears staining his face. He no longer wore his mask of happiness, of content. His mind swirled with nothing but the animalistic sense to save his brother. He was working on pure instincts now. Nothing more. Roy? Who was that? Only one thing registered in his mind. Alphonse.

"Edward!"

The boy had just run out, leaving a very stressed out Roy behind.

"Damnit, what have I done? What have I done," Roy murmured under his breath as he began to run after the blonde. He brought his hand up to his forehead, shaking his head at himself in shame. He was so preoccupied, that he ran into something and fell on top of it.

"COLONEL! Gah! Get off of me!"

"Eh, sorry, Havoc... erm..." Roy stood up slowly and brushed himself off. "Erm, go get working on the Homunculi case, mkay"

"Uh, okay..." But Roy was gone before he could hear what Havoc had to say.

Roy crashed through the front door and stood quietly, listening. He could faintly hear muffled sobbing in the distance. Did... did he cause that? The cries most likely were coming from a very off-balance Edward. And if that was the case, then yes, he was the one who caused the boy to cry.

Roy sat down on the steps, holding his face in his hands. He took a deep breath as he stroked his hair back. How could he be so cruel? Edward might've seemed defiant and strong, and he was, really, but his trust was a precious and fragile thing. And he had given it to him. He had opened up to Roy, given him his love, his trust, his secrets, his confidence. And what had he done? He made it all seem like a part of his game. The poor kid...

All he ever did was mess up. He had killed those two doctors stupidly, following stupid orders. He had mass murdered many for worshipping a certain way. And he had tried to enlist a little boy in the army! A little boy who had no mother or father or a place to call home. For god's sake, the poor kid didn't even have the only person he truly loved anymore! Edward... his sweet little Edward...

Roy got up and crashed his head into the brick wall. He was a monster! A mass-murderer, imbecilic, idiotic, arrogant, bastard of a monster! He had crushed what was left of Ed's self esteem, trust, self-confidence, and hope. Now what? And where had Ed gone and hidden? At his size, there was no telling where he could be hiding. Damnit, what had he done?

Roy wiped the blood from his forehead and decided that the best place to find Edward would be at the Homunculi's base. Knowing Edward, the prodigy would have read through and memorized each paper in the files that he had forgotten. According to Ed's last declarations, he was going to rescue the younger Elric, whether the military helped him or not. And Roy being Roy decided to set up a one-sided rendezvous between his team and Edo.

Edward strolled along the sidewalk. First things first, he needed a disguise. Both Roy and the homunculi recognized him in his outfit as the elder Elric brother, Edward, so his usual looks wouldn't do. He kicked the stone he'd been kicking off to the side and into the street gutter as he turned into a familiar branch library. It was actually the last library that he and Al had been at, the one where Al showed him his "harness and control" alchemy. Edward smiled at the thought of his brother's brilliance and headed towards the back of the building and into the washrooms.

He locked the door behind him as he clapped his hands together, pressing them firmly to the clothes he wore. Deep in concentration, he turned his red shirt, black jacket, black leather pants, and leather boots into a black and white tux. Might as well look the part of secret agent, ne? Next, he filled the sink with water and undid his pony tail holder, dipping his golden locks into the water. Quickly, he clapped and pressed his hands to his hair, causing its shining blond to go a jet black. He tied up his hair in a bun and quickly transmuted part of his coat into a bowler hat, in which he placed firmly on his head. Next, he drew a small array using fog on the mirror and transmuted his pupils to change from their usual bright amber to a subtle hazelnut color. He preferred to use the array rather then to openly touch his pupils. He smiled to himself in the mirror. His disguise was complete.

Before leaving the building, however, Edward made sure to stop by his and Al's usual study room. To his relief, he found it to be empty. Locking the door behind him, Ed transmuted a door through the wall of books. Sighing, he pressed his ear to the safe that appeared behind the books. Giving up, he transmuted a door through that, too. Alphonse was usually the one with the combination. After taking a quick peak around his shoulders, he extracted a silver pocket watch, a red velvet pouch, and a single sheet up rotting paper. He attached the pocket watch to the belt loops on his pants, tying the red velvet pouch to the loop in his pocket by the drawstring. The paper was red over a few times, memorized, and then tucked safely into the inner pocket of his coat. Edward nodded in satisfaction and quickly transmuted everything back to way it was, leaving the library as if he had never been there.

"Do you understand, Fuery? You are crucial to this mission. You must tell us if any danger is sensed with a half mile radius. Do you copy?"

"Yes, colonel, sir. I understand the importance of my contribution to this mission. I will do my best, sir!" Fuery shouted, saluting.

"Good. Now, go tell the others about their jobs and then get stationed in that old abandoned apartment we rented. All your equipment should be set up already. Contact me at 1900 to let me know that you're ready for the operation to commence."

"Sir!"

"Dismissed."

Fuery nodded and left the room with an eerie silence. Roy frowned, staring out the window behind his desk. Oh Edward... he thought.

"I swear it, I'll make it up to you," he muttered under his breath.

His eyes focused in on short man dressed in his best walking down the sidewalk outside HQ's fence. That man... something was strangely familiar. He looked to be the same height as Edward... but... No, no, no, he was just hallucinating. The man might have been around Ed's height, but he was probably just a midget. He didn't even resemble Edward in the least! Raven-headed and eyes dull, that was not his little sunshine by the name of Edward.

God, he must really miss him.


	8. Two Halves Make a Whole

**Trust Within Itself: Chapter 7: Two Halves Make a Whole**  
**Anime/Manga:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** Either Parental!RoyEd or Yaoi!RoyEd, depending on how you wish to view it  
**Warnings:** Rated PG-13 for violence and language  
**Beta:** I have no beta, therefore this is not beta'd. Nor am I looking for a beta, so please don;t ask.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA. If I did, I would be super rich and I wouldn't be writing this stuff for free!  
**REMEMBER TO READ MY COMMENTS SECTION, TOO!**

_This is a chapter from a multi-chapter story. Read it from the beginning .com/art/Trust-Within-Itself-Prologue-176509902_

-

Edward took a sip from the bottle of water he had snatched before leaving Central City. The wind was cold as it blew against his uncovered face. He had long changed back into his regular clothes, as it was too cold for anything else. Thank goodness he always wore three top layers.

He stared up at the bright white stars, twinkling high above in the sky. When was the last time he saw stars? It had to be a few years ago, when he and Alphonse had wandered around Central's outskirts. How long had it been since he and Al stopped to enjoy the stars? Was it when they lived with their mother? That long ago? Perhaps.

The boy sighed and wiped his lips with his arm as he stared up into the moon glow. According to Roy's information, Alphonse was supposedly near here. The homunculi's hideout was clearly labeled to be about 200 yards east of Central's eastern gate, north 20 yards, then east 100 more yards. Supposedly, it was supposed to be hidden within a dark cave that used to be excavated for coal and jewels alike. However, none had gone in since it was closed up due to mysterious disappearances 100 years ago. None had been brave enough to venture back in.

Edward took one last good look at the moon and decided to get going. His best bet was to invade at night, since most slept at night and since Envy had been out at night. Invading at any other time of the day would be futile. He needed to get Alphonse back, and getting ambushed by the enemy, possibly killed, would not do anything to help his brother.

The boy stood up and brushed himself off. He took one last glance into the sky and made the long trek towards the old cave. Ed had a feeling that this would be a long night.

-

The Colonel stared grimly into the glowing moon of the countryside. He never realized how much the city lights drowned out the sky's natural light at night. The team had been traveling for hours now, leaving Central far behind them in the distance. He could sense that something bad was going to happen. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. He needed to get there in time. He needed to get there before Ed did something stupid. At this rate, he was certain that the boy would be capable of blowing his head off.

"Sir? Is everything okay?" Riza looked into his eyes, worry cascading over the shining blue.

"I'm just a bit worried, that's all. It's Edward, after all," Roy offered, "But I'm fine, really." Best not to worry his best gunman.

"If you're sure," Riza paused and studied his face, "You know you can always tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Roy sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Just don't let your emotions get ahold of you, Taisa. Don't do anything stupid. You won't be helping Edward if you get your own self killed."

"I know, I know."

The car suddenly stopped, ducking into the woods.

"Taisa! We've arrived about 20 yards west of the location. Howver, we've spotted a figure resembling Elric about 50 yards north!" Havoc was at Roy's door now, shoving an extra pair of gloves into his pocket. "Always keep a spare. We don't know what we're dealing with."

Roy simply nodded and jumped out. "Everyone, go with Plan D. I'll be following Edward."

"Taisa, Plan D was created in the case that you are killed or badly injured!" Havoc exclaimed, worried.

"No, Plan D was created in the case that I am unable to command my team. I'm going to trail Elric, so all of you must be able to carry on without fail. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Havoc sighed.

"Remember what I said to you, Roy. Don't kill yourself," Riza stared him directly in his eye, making him shift uncomfortably. Her icy glare struck enough warning into his body. Knowing Riza, if he died, she would go find his soul and kill him once again for allowing himself to death in the first place. Yes, he'd be wary.

-

Ed was determined. Simply determined. He couldn't stop now. He just could not. All signals were telling him to stop, that this was a bad idea, that he get himself in a lot of trouble, but he couldn't stop. He could feel his brother's presence, his aura, so close, but so out of reach. He was so close... but so far. But this was for Al... His sweet darling brother, probably locked up and energy drained, all because of him. It was all his fault. What type of older brother was he? A terrible one, he thought. A terrible older brother who couldn't even keep his last promise to his father to protect his family. He had failed to protect his mother and his brother. The promise was already far beyond broken. What was the point? He was a wimp, a failure in life, a shame to his family's name. He was supposed to be one of the most skilled and powerful alchemists in history! And he couldn't even protect his family. He was a monster. That's what he was, a monster.

He wiped a lone tear off of his cheek. No time for weakness. Only the brave and the strong survived. He wasn't Winry, he didn't cry. He would not... He could... He cried.

Crying was self-pity in his book. Self-pity was not good. He had to be strong, he had to learn to live. He had to learn to live life strong with tough skin. But... shouldn't he already be tough? The life he had had. The memories embedded into his mind. Those couldn't be forgotten, no, they could only be relived over and over again in his nightmares. Shouldn't all those bad things already made him tough? Shouldn't he be immune to emotion? Or does it make him more vulnerable to the grasp of his emotions?

He let his face fall into his palms. Slowly, quietly, he double over, falling to his knees. Why? Why did this happen? Why was he so cursed? Why couldn't he be able to live life like a normal child. Like a normal teenager. Why couldn't he have a father in his life to play catch with? A mother to tuck him in at night and read him stories when he was young? A brother who he could tease and fight over toys with? Why was he chosen to be given a life of hurt and no comfort? Why couldn't he go out every night on a date? Go to a normal school? Have a group of friends? Why was he not allowed to be a normal person? Why did he have to learn alchemy in order to survive, sacrificing his childhood for the good of his family? Why? Why? Why?

"Edward." His deep baritone was monotonous. There was no comfort in it, no anger, no worry. No emotion whatsoever. The boy sat up and turned around in a mixture of surprise and worry.

He sprang, up bursting into tears. He ran to him, hugging him tight. Startled at first, Roy embraced him and stroked his head.

"Shhhhh. It's alright. Shhhhh. I'm here now... I'm here," Roy whispered into his ear. As the boy sobbed into his chest, he rubbed his back gently while massaging the stress knots out of his neck. Roy rested his face in Edward's hair. He smelled different now, rugged, musky, sweaty; he smelled of hurt and neglect. His poor baby... With all the guilt eating away at his soul, he mustered up as much sorriness as he could and placed a light kiss on the top of Edward's head.

"Roy," Ed sniffled, "Don't leave me ever again!" The older man chuckled and ruffled up the blond's hair.

"Oh, I beg to differ, my love. If I do recount correctly, you're the one who left _me_! But it was my fault, really. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so inconsiderate. I didn't mean it that way, you know. I really didn't. I just love seeing your smiling face everyday. I want you to be with me at all times. You're my everything. My world, my life, my reason to live. Those last twenty-something hours without you, my sunshine, were dark and lonely. Sad and hurting. Now that you have entered my life, I can't take you out. I need you, Ed, I need you. And by the looks of it, you need me, too."

The shorty smirked a little and placed his hands on his hips, cocking his head to the side. He nodded slowly then hugged the elder man again.

"Hehe, you're right. It's true. I _do_ need you. Obviously. And the answer is yes."

Roy furrowed his brow and looked at him quizzically, "Answer to what?"

"Yes, I'll be your state alchemist. I'm not too sure about Al, but I will, yeah. It's true, I miss you, ya know? You've been gone from sunrise to one in the morning. I never get to see you any more! So yes, yes, yes! I'll be your state alchemist!"

"Hehe, I love you, Ed," Roy drew his handkerchief and dabbed his eyes dry, "But for now, let's go on a rescue mission!"

Ed smiled and the two walked side by side towards the cave.

_To be continued..._


End file.
